did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

[imraan47]

Hey,

Ok so met this mechanic back in 09 where i went when he worked at a marina. There he gave me his personal number and told me he does repair jobs at his place and i would save on labor.
So i bought a boat and ended up taking it to him for lower unit. He told me $2000 for that so i told him not to do it as its too much so i payed him $60 and took the boat elsewhere to get it done for $1500. During this time it was with him he was just overall mean guy and told me to **** off and all that just because i was trying to save some money but do the job so i mentioned oh what if i can get the part then can you put it in? so he huffed and puffed and just got pissed of so i took it away.

This year i took it to him again but i only gave him the ourdrive and he did the impeller and outdrive service for $150.
no problems there.
now i took the entire boat to him and got a bill for $295 for used alternator and belt with labour. all i asked him is would a car alternator from a 4cyl work. OMG that was it and he got so pissed of and cursing and all that to a point that he doesnt want to see me again and told me to **** off and that he wont touch the boat and i should pick it up asap otherwise it will be on the street. he said i had a $1000 job and i put it on hold since your boat is in the spot.

so my question to you...what the heck did i do wrong here or he is just a f****** prick and has a temper problem being an ahole

 

[cribber]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Customer service is not his strong suit and taking jobs from his employer as side jobs just isn't right in my book. If he was a complete independent now that would still say his customer service isn't the greatest. I'd go back to the dealer and let them know your experience with this guy. They might cut you a break for helping bring back business this guy tried to walk away from their shop.

 

[JB]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Some guys are just like that. Sometime in life he learned that tantrums and anger will get wimps to do what he wants.

Doesn't work well with many folks. Best find a wrench who understands customer relations.

 

[Lakemeadan]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Your last sentence is correct.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

I wouldn't go back and talk to his boss. That's not your place to rat on him just because you didn't like his attitude. If he was a decent guy, you would have been willing to pay him on the side, behind his bosses' back.

Sounds like he is just a jerk. BTW, no...a car alternator doesn't belong on a boat. It needs to be electronically sealed against sparking hazard.

just find a decent mechanic who has a shop and will warranty his work. You'll never have any recourse against a guy who does shadetree work if he messes it up.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Did I miss read or did you go back to him AFTER he told you to f-off once already on an earler deal. I think once would be plenty for me, but either way he gave you his # and you tried to give him some tax free cash money and he went ape on you. Yeah he wont keep many side customers with that kind of attitude...

 

[imraan47]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

oh i forgot to say that he doesnt work at the marina anymore but does his own thing from his place and he is a mobile mechanic.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Surprised that you went back for more after the first experience. I'd not have given him a second chance.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Hard to say - but he's probabally tired of folks trying to nickel and dime him on small jobs they could do themselves. However $295 for a used alternator and the labor to install it sounds steep. I just bought a brand new single wire marine alternator (for my street rod) for $65.

As for using a car alternator - its a dumb question that he has probabally heard a hundred times before - no you cant because it lacks the USCG required screens to keep it from sending sparks into your engine compartment.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Ok, let's see if I understand correctly;

You took your boat to be repaired by a guy that was stealing work from his employer.
This guy then was going to charge you more than what someone else was going to for a job,and when you asked if he would cut his price if you furnished the part, he told you off.

Then, later, you took some more work to him which he did to your satisfaction. A job, by the way, that you could have done yourself since the hard part was already done.

Then you took him another job, asked if he could do a crappy job with an unsafe replacement part, and got thrown out.

Sounds like there is more to the story.

You strike me as a guy that buys a tv, off the dock, after looking at it at the store. Then gets irate when he finds he was cheated and it was really a box of rocks.

Then goes back to the same guy, buys a radio, is happy, but then complains when he goes back to buy another tv, and gets "cheated" again.

I think the problem is yours, and I bet you irritated the guy to cause him to react that way. After all, you did already know what to expect.

Sorry, but my reaction is one of "dismay" (edited for content) toward you, not him.

 

[RZR2007]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

I wouldn't have went back after the first time.... I'd find another mech., like back to the first one that saved you $500...

 

[imraan47]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Ok, let's see if I understand correctly;

You took your boat to be repaired by a guy that was stealing work from his employer.
This guy then was going to charge you more than what someone else was going to for a job,and when you asked if he would cut his price if you furnished the part, he told you off.

Then, later, you took some more work to him which he did to your satisfaction. A job, by the way, that you could have done yourself since the hard part was already done.

Then you took him another job, asked if he could do a crappy job with an unsafe replacement part, and got thrown out.

Sounds like there is more to the story.

You strike me as a guy that buys a tv, off the dock, after looking at it at the store. Then gets irate when he finds he was cheated and it was really a box of rocks.

Then goes back to the same guy, buys a radio, is happy, but then complains when he goes back to buy another tv, and gets "cheated" again.

I think the problem is yours, and I bet you irritated the guy to cause him to react that way. After all, you did already know what to expect.

Sorry, but my reaction is one of "dismay" (edited for content) toward you, not him.

Let me clarify just for you in this thread.
you said:

"Then you took him another job, asked if he could do a crappy job with an unsafe replacement part, and got thrown out."

to that i have to say that i was asking as a question to learn and find out IF it would workout. If i had a million bucks or came off a rich father i wouldn't bother of course. i was just trying to save a buck here or there. his issue is he wants to charge $50/hr for labour but rips your ahole in parts.
the first time i got quotes for parts and he was overcharging for many of the parts. even the impeller waterpump he replaced i know he made $50 into his pocked on just the part. so he is only pissed that he wont make money on a part and will complain that he has other jobs worth more than mine.
as a mechanic i believe you should answer any and all questions to the customer because this is their line of specialty. i mean if you go to the doctor you can ask him whats wrong with you and what that medicine is for and will do to you. this is same as the boat is sick and belongs to me.

bottom line i gotta get the boat out today and i will never go back to him or even if someone asks about him i will deter them away by telling them of my experience.
if i happen to get a chance to deal with where he used to work, i will tell them of his conduct.

 

[RZR2007]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Hard to say - but he's probabally tired of folks trying to nickel and dime him on small jobs they could do themselves. However $295 for a used alternator and the labor to install it sounds steep. I just bought a brand new single wire marine alternator (for my street rod) for $65.

As for using a car alternator - its a dumb question that he has probabally heard a hundred times before - no you cant because it lacks the USCG required screens to keep it from sending sparks into your engine compartment.

If the man truly didn't know he couldn't use a car alternator, then it was an honest question, not a dumb one.The dumb thing to do would have been to assume it would work and not ask the question. I didn't know there was a difference, but I do now. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge on the subject, if the question wasn't asked, then the knowledge wouldn't be passed on...

 

[NYBo]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

ALL mechanics make part of their livings on price markups on parts.

Your biggest mistake was going back to him a second time.

 

[sbooy42]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

have to agree, would have never went back....Some people are just pricks

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Until you invest time in learning how to repair/maintain your boat you will always be dependent on a mechanic for the smallest issue.
I said awhile ago about myself.."Poverty is the Mother of Education"

I myself had to learn many things as I did not have the extra $$$ to pay a mechanic, shop or no shop.

Begin your journey here..

http://www.4shared.com/document/hh5Z9V47/Service_Manual_10.html

 

[AZSenza]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

I'm a mechanic, I hold an FAA certificate to work on aircraft (Commercial). In my younger years, I had lots of people offer to pay me on the side to work on their airplanes. Normally, in my line of work THAT will get you fired and could wind you up in trouble with the FAA. In my current position, I am barred by company policy from working on any aircraft other than ours. Now, THAT said! I'm a real nice guy and would have explained to you why you can't use an automotive electrical part on a boat. I work on peoples cars all the time and yes I do mark up parts, ever so slightly but I let them know before hand. I will only warranty a repair with a part I purchased and installed but I'll tell you nicely!
LOTS of scum out there with zero customer service. I've met lots of them. Number one reason I do the repairs on EVERYTHING I own including motorcycles, house and landscaping. Kids laugh cause they bring EVERYTHING to me, even a water pistol last year (Yes I fixed it)

 

[blifsey]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

Once, shame on you.
Twice, shame on me.
Thrice, shame on ???

 

[Stachi]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

as an automobile technician , full time, we can spot your type coming in the door.... looking for the cheapest price , wanting to provide your own parts....and expect us to warranty them.... and ready to sue if something goes wrong... and I should give you a cut-rate price ???? 50$ an hour shop time is CHEAP.

 

[imraan47]

Re: did i do something wrong here to **** the mechanic off??

as an automobile technician , full time, we can spot your type coming in the door.... looking for the cheapest price , wanting to provide your own parts....and expect us to warranty them.... and ready to sue if something goes wrong... and I should give you a cut-rate price ???? 50$ an hour shop time is CHEAP.

wooooo..
frist of all warranty is a complete separate issue. i NEVER spoke to him about warranty and don't really expect it in fact. So there is no way in hell that he can assume that if i got the part he should still cover warranty. in fact if that question was raised i would have told him no just put the part and no warranty.

I LOVE the saying "Poverty is the Mother of Education"
i will use that.

i ended up taking the boat and i took the alternator out myself. tomorrow i go shop around. most likely i will get it rebuilt.